Moscow Airport’s New Voice Assistant is Answering 30% of Customer Calls

Moscow Domodedovo Airport launched a voice assistant this week to handle customer service. The AI-powered voice is connected through the airport’s existing helpline and is already handling nearly a third of all incoming calls.

Airport AI

The voice assistant is designed to interact with callers as naturally as possible. When people call the number and the AI answers, the caller can check into their flights or pick from a few standard topics such as schedules and flight statuses before asking their questions. The AI is capable of asking clarification questions back before providing an answer or passing the call to a human to handle.

The airport worked with Russian firm LLC Aviation Technologies of Communication to create the voice assistant, which is already fielding 30% of the calls made to the helpline. The airport said it is working on a plan to improve how well the AI operates and expand the range of issues it can sort out for customers.

Enterprise AI Takes Off

The trend for using artificial intelligence to interact with customers is global. Startups and large corporations alike are experimenting with AI interactions and applying the data collected to improve customer service. For instance, Salesforce designed a voice app for its Einstein platform and startups like Frontdesk AI are signing up small businesses to use a voice AI platform for customer service. Moscow isn’t the first airport to have a voice assistant either. IBM’s Watson AI powers the humanoid robot named Josie Pepper who greeted people walking into the Munich airport during a pilot program in 2018.

This year, there’s a spotlight on enterprise AI adapted to help during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Governments and healthcare organizations are using interactive AI in voice and text form to engage with people. A growing number of developers like Voicify, Hyro, and Orbita, as well as Microsoft, are providing an AI platform for use by hospitals and local administrations. The voice and text interfaces help keep people informed about the coronavirus and aid in triage to limit how many people go to the hospital. Businesses affected by the spread of the coronavirus are integrating variations templates built by companies like Satisfi Labs.

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